XIV 



Preface. 



met with a ready and generally intelligent response. We 

 i-enu'inher that in a poaching affray, when a keeper was 

 seriously injured, the case was tried before the Kineton 

 Bench, and one of the witnesses for the prosecution was 

 absolutely unable to give his evidence without explaining 

 that he thought that the noise (hooting, he called it) which 

 he heard proceeded from the hounds, and that he said to his 

 mate, " There be the hounds, Bill ; let's go and have a hnnt !" 

 Jjong may this good feeling flonrish and j)revail. We 

 trust that these volumes may not only recall to the 

 remembrance of our readers many happy and brilliant 

 days of sport in which they have participated amongst 

 the green pastures of Warwickshire, but that they may tend 

 to keep alive this interest in the chase, and cement the 

 good feeling towards it which still exists amongst all 

 classes of our fair county. As Surtees made the immortal 

 JoiTocks declare, " There is no colour like red, and there 

 is no sport like 'untin'." At the last moment we have 

 enlisted the facile pencil of the Hon. Mrs. North, who has 

 given us a charming sketch of the Warwickshire Hounds 



fOMINfi DOWN EDGE HILL. 



